Walking For a Cure A few years ago Virginia Tech sophomore Amanda Jackson’s father was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. At the time Jackson said she had never even heard of the disease. After doing some research and watching the disease take over her father’s life, Jackson recalls the one thing that hit her the hardest; there is no cure. Each week about 200 people are diagnosed with MS. MS is a chronic disease of the central nervous system causing the impairment or total loss of muscular functions. Last year Jackson learned that the Blue Ridge Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society would hold its annual MS Walk in Blacksburg. Upon hearing this information, she knew she had to participate. Jackson gathered a group of friends and began fundraising for the event. Jackson’s team, named “4 Poppa Jack” in honor of her father, raised $1,922.86. “It felt amazing to know that even though I couldn’t be at home to support my dad, I was helping to find a cure,” said Jackson. This year the Blue Ridge Chapter’s MS Walk will be held on April 22. The event will take place at the New River Valley Mall in Christiansburg at 10 a.m. This will be Jackson’s second year walking in the event. Her MS Walk team has raised $1,730 thus far. “Hopefully in the next few weeks we can reach our fundraising goal of $3,000,” she said. Virginia Tech senior Brittney Foster will join her friend Jackson in the upcoming walk. “I want to walk along (with Jackson) in the fight against multiple sclerosis, hoping that donations we have raised will contribute to discovering a cure for MS,” said Foster. According to Erin Payne, MS walk coordinator for the Blue Ridge Chapter, the chapter raised over $280,000 last year. The money raised benefits MS research and the 2,600 residents with MS in the Blue Ridge region. Brian Mason, chief operating officer of Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group, has been involved with the NMSS for over six years. Mason and his company started sponsoring MS after an employee’s son was diagnosed with the disease. “Our staff members were happy to help out with coordinating the walks and adding challenges to fellow Atlantic Bay Mortgage Group members for raising money,” said Mason. Luck Stone, a producer of crushed stone, also sponsors the NMSS. "We're so delighted to be supporting such a worthy cause while giving back to our community," said Mike Jennings, Luck Stone's Western Virginia regional sales manager. "Our associates at Luck Stone are dedicated to enriching the communities in which they live and work, so deciding to financially support the MS Walk was a natural partnership decision for us,” said Jennings. "Each spring nearly 200,000 people at over 600 sites participate in the MS Walk. All walks have an accessible route so people of all abilities can take part," said Payne. For more information or to participate, call the Blue Ridge Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society at 1-800-FIGHT-MS or log onto http://www.nationalmssociety.org/vab. |